Alex Kerfoot sends Erik Johnson head first into the boards.

This was an ugly play and it was made even uglier due to the fact that both of these men had previously played together.

The Toronto Maple Leafs were facing off against the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday night and for the Leafs it very much felt like a statement game. It was not so much that the Maple Leafs were attempting to send a message to the Colorado Avalanche, but rather it felt like the Maple Leafs were attempting to send a message to their former head coach in Mike Babcock.

Although the game looked good early for the Maple Leafs things took an ugly turn during the closing minutes of the game's second period when Maple Leafs forward Alexander Kerfoot took so serious liberties with former teammate Erik Johnson. Johnson had just beaten Kerfoot in a race to the puck along the end boards but Kerfoot attempted to gain position by delivering a relatively light crosscheck to the back of the Colorado Avalanche defenseman. Unfortunately although the crosscheck was not particularly vicious it was delivered at just about the most dangerous place on the ice to do so and the result of the play was Johnson going head first into the boards. 

Although Kerfoot was awarded a two minute minor penalty for boarding on the play Johnson was irate and clearly felt that the very dangerous play had warranted at least a 5 minute major, but obviously the NHL officials disagreed.